''Joseph's Tunic'' (Spanish: La túnica de José) is a 1630 oil painting by Spanish artist

Diego Velázquez Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez (baptised 6 June 15996 August 1660) was a Spanish painter, the leading artist in the Noble court, court of King Philip IV of Spain, Philip IV of Spain and Portugal, and of the Spanish Golden Age. He i ...

, now held in the museum of the Sacristía Mayor del Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial (

Madrid, Spain Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...

). The painting is also knowns as ''Joseph's Bloodied Coat Presented to Jacob''. It depicts the Old Testament narrative (Genesis, 37-50) of Joseph's brothers presenting his bloody robe to their father, Jacob. Velázquez painted this work during his first journey to Rome, while staying at the house of Don Manuel de Fonseca y Zúñiga, the Sixth Count of Monterrey and Spanish ambassador to Rome. It was later brought back to Spain with Velázquez's '' Apollo in the Forge of Vulcan''. Despite ''Joseph's Tunic'' depicting a biblical story and ''Apollo in the Forge of Vulcan'' being a mythological scene, scholars often consider the two paintings a pair. Both works were done without royal commission but were later added to the Spanish royal collection. Their connection lies in their common format, shared use of dramatic realism, and exploration of the power of words. ''Joseph's Tunic'' is particularly notable for its use of

chiaroscuro In art, chiaroscuro ( , ; ) is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition. It is also a technical term used by artists and art historians for the use of contrasts of light to ach ...

, dynamic figure movement, and

geometric perspective Linear or point-projection perspective () is one of two types of graphical projection perspective in the graphic arts; the other is parallel projection. Linear perspective is an approximate representation, generally on a flat surface, of ...

. The painting also demonstrates influences of

Guercino Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (February 8, 1591 – December 22, 1666),Miller, 1964 better known as (il) Guercino (), was an Italian Baroque painter and draftsman from Cento in the Emilia region, who was active in Rome and Bologna. The vigorous n ...

Caravaggio Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (also Michele Angelo Merigi or Amerighi da Caravaggio; 29 September 1571 – 18 July 1610), known mononymously as Caravaggio, was an Italian painter active in Rome for most of his artistic life. During the fina ...

Michelangelo Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (6March 147518February 1564), known mononymously as Michelangelo, was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was inspir ...

, and others.

Description

The scene shows the biblical narrative about the jealousy of Joseph's brothers. Five of them, angered by what they regarded as the favoritism shown toward Joseph, sold him to an Ishmaelite caravan for slavery. To cover up their actions, the brothers took Joseph's robe, dipped it in goat blood, and brought it to their father Jacob. The painting shows the moment when the five brothers present the robe to Jacob. Upon recognizing the garment, Jacob is overcome with grief, devastated by his belief that his son had been devoured by a wild beast. Velázquez positions two of the brothers, thought to be Reuben and Simeon, in the center of the scene, presenting the coat to Jacob. Their expressions convey a mix of both concern and unease. To their left, another brother turns away completely, seemingly overcome with guilt. On the far right, Jacob is captured in a moment of grief, nearly falling out of his chair after receiving the news of Joseph's death. Jacob's dynamic position effectively conveys his extreme distress. There are also two other vaguely defined brothers in the background. Their identities are unknown. Some scholars believe Velázquez might have considered turning the space they occupy into an extension of the landscape instead. There is a small dog barking at the brothers in the bottom right corner, almost as if it can detect the dishonesty of the brothers.

Interpretation

The main themes represented in the painting are deception and manipulation. The five sons presenting the bloodied coat to their father led Jacob to believe that his son was dead. In this moment, Jacob’s perception of reality is altered, highlighting how words and ideas can hold more power than concrete human actions. This theme is reinforced by the Velázquez's addition of a dog in the bottom right corner, barking aggressively at the brothers, as if to call them out on their deceit. Velázquez’s painting demonstrates how the brothers’ lie provokes Jacob’s actions and emotions, underscoring how language and storytelling affect the human experience. This theme aligns with that of the pendant painting ''Apollo in the Forge of Vulcan,'' which similarly revolves around the revelation of unsettling news.

Styles and techniques

The piece is consistent with the characteristics of

Spanish Baroque Spanish Baroque is a strand of Baroque architecture that evolved in Spain, its List of provinces of Spain, provinces, and former Spanish Empire, colonies. History The development of the style passed through three phases. Between 1680 and 1720, ...

, as evidenced by the intense use of dark shadows and sense of movement. Velázquez utilizes

to convey the volume of the figures. The viewer’s attention is drawn to each of the brothers on the left, as the dramatic contrast between light and dark shadows accentuates their presence. The artist designed the checkerboard flooring in accordance with the principles of geometric perspective.

Influences

Guercino One of the most noticeable influences of Guercino can be seen in Velázquez's use of chiaroscuro. Guercino was known for using this technique in his painting to highlight certain individuals or moments, adding a layer of emotional intensity. In ''Joseph’s Tunic'', the brothers presenting the robe are prominently highlighted compared to the other figures, mimicking this technique. Velázquez spent time in an Italian village called Cento during his travels, which is where he would have been exposed to Guercino's work. Carravagio Similar to Guercino, Caravaggio was known for

Tenebrism Tenebrism, from Italian ('dark, gloomy, mysterious'), also occasionally called dramatic illumination, is a style of painting using especially pronounced chiaroscuro, where there are violent contrasts of light and dark, and where darkness become ...

, using intense shadows to heighten emotional intensity. Velázquez adapted this style in ''Joseph's Tunic'' to call attention to the brothers presenting the robe. Caravaggio also may have influenced Velázquez's sculptural representation of the bodies, his depiction of skin texture, and the natural liveliness of the figures. Tintoretto Tintoretto’s ''Last Supper'' contains certain elements Velázquez might have also drawn upon for influence. In this painting, Tintoretto has a tiled floor that leads to a central vanishing point on the left side of the canvas, with the space opening up to the landscape. This spatial organization is similar to Velázquez’s layout in ''Joseph's Tunic''. Michelangelo Velázquez's depiction of strong, sculpted human figures could also be influenced by Michelangelo. The expressive, dynamic poses of the figures have fine physiognomic details that help create emotional intensity. In ''Joseph’s Tunic'', Jacob and the shepherd in the background resemble the prophets Ezekiel and Jerimiah, respectively, both from Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. Guido Reni Joseph's Tunic resembles work by other Roman-Bolognese artists, such as

Guido Reni Guido Reni (; 4 November 1575 – 18 August 1642) was an Italian Baroque painter, although his works showed a classical manner, similar to Simon Vouet, Nicolas Poussin, and Philippe de Champaigne. He painted primarily religious works, but al ...

. Velázquez arranged the shepherds' heads to create a centrifugal structure, a technique often used by Guido Reni. The dog in the foreground is also similar to the dog in an earlier painting by Guido Reni, ''The Abduction of Helen''.

References

External links